


5 Times Hecate Hardbroom helped Mildred Hubble...

by spoilmesweetie



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: And somewhat adorable, Being very useful, F/F, Hicsqueak, Our favourite useless lesbian, fluff and cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-04-05 13:39:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14045433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spoilmesweetie/pseuds/spoilmesweetie
Summary: I can't seem to help myself with these 5 times things of late...Essentially, 5 times HB helps Mildred (being adorable along the way) and one time she helps her in return.Featuring Pippa here and there, and mentions of her elsewhere.





	1. Chapter 1

Hecate settled herself on the stool before her dresser, taking a few moments to check over her appearance before tapping the mirror to call Pippa. Since their reunion at the Spelling Bee, they had been making tentative steps in becoming friends once more. Or to be more precise, she was taking tentative steps. Pippa, true to her nature and apparently not as changed by the years between them, was far too forgiving of Hecate. She was open and patient where Hecate was closed and anxious. In short, it was more than Hecate felt she deserved, but she couldn't deny she craved the other witch's company and treasured their time together dearly.

"Hello you."

Pippa had insisted that in their private mirror calls that there really was no need for any formalities. She reminded Hecate of how they used to greet each other with nothing more than a smile, or a nudge to the other's shoulder. "Hello Pippa," she replied, unable to stop her lips quirking into a smile as the other witch's name rolled off her tongue, familiar and fond.  
As was usual, they spoke of their respective schools, Hecate enjoying the playful manner in which Pippa delivered her stories of her students' minor magical mishaps, and her reactions to Hecate rather more halted tales of Cackles, usually more major, magical mishaps.

"I saw a lot of little you in Mildred," said Pippa. It went without saying that the moment there was a mention of magical mischief that Mildred's name would follow. "And I daresay she recognises something in you too, or she wouldn't stay." She paused, waiting for the rebuttle, but none came. "She doesn’t come from a witching family like we do. She needs a little more of a helping hand."

"I gave her detention," admitted Hecate.

"Hiccup! That's not what I meant!" Scolded Pippa.  
"It was warranted!" Defended Hecate. "And I did try to make it slightly less...punative, as you suggested..."

*

Hecate paused as she rounded her desk, hesitating before crossing the small space to bring her in front of where Mildred Hubble sat, scratching away at her lines. Used to Hecate's stare by now, Mildred didn't flinch or even look up. With a wave of her hand, Hecate sent both paper and pen to rest on her desk. Mildred looked up, her confusion clear on her face.

Moving to sit in the chair next to Mildred, her posture as correct as ever, Hecate paused. "You chose to stay here when Miss Pentangle offered you a place. Why?"  
Mildred shrugged. "I might not be like the other girls, and I may be a bit of a disaster at times, but you keep me here anyway, and it kind of feels like home. Not Home home, but home. Miss Cackle took a big chance on me. I know that and I'll always be grateful for that. And I've made the best friends and seen things I never even dreamed existed. As nice as Miss Pentangle is, it would feel weird to go anywhere else now."

Hecate pondered over her words for a few moments. "Have you ever seen my familiar?" She watched as the young witch frowned, not seeing the relevance of her question.

"Err, no. I don't think so anyway."

Reaching down, Hecate rubbed her fingers by her ankles, transferring the cat to her side.

"She's white!" Exclaimed Mildred, grinning. She immediately leant down in her chair, extending a hand towards to the feline.

Hecate watched as without hesitation, the usually picky and aloof creature moved to rub against Mildred's outstretched fingers, purring as they scratched behind her ears. 

"What is she called?"

"Hijinks," replied Hecate. "Jinksy for short."

Mildred snorted out a laugh, immediately biting her lip to silence herself. 

"What?"

The younger witch looked up. "Sorry. It just...your cat is literally called a joke. Your cat of all cats."

"Yes, well, when I collected her I did think it was rather a joke and asked if they were up to hijinks, hence..." She gestured at the feline, happily twining around their legs. She sighed, fingers rubbing at her temple. "My point is, tabby isn’t only oddball familiar around here." She paused. "You’re not the only oddball either. This place seems to be where we all congregate." She managed a half smile in the girl's direction, please when it was returned. "You’re a powerful young witch Mildred, and I know that that power can be difficult to control, but because you are powerful, it’s all the more important that you learn to control your powers. I’m not saying it’s easy, but with a little application, it’s far from impossible." With a small nod to herself, she brushed invisible wrinkles form her dress before standing. "I’d say that's enough lines for tonight." 

"You’re letting me go early?" Asked Mildred in disbelief.

Hecate almost chuckled at the comical expression on the girl's face. "Mildred, you’ve accumulated more time in detention than any other student, it’s not as if you haven’t put in the hours." She watched as Mildred scrabbled to collect her things together, giving Jinksy a final quick stroke on the head before heading for the door. "One more thing," she said, bringing the girl to a halt. She reached for a scrap of paper, scribbling down a few lines. "You might find this useful. It helps stop cat hair from clinging to your clothes. It can be helpful, especially when you tend to wear black and have a more unusually coloured familiar." She passed the paper to a thankful Mildred, who gratefully ducked her head. "Until next time, Miss Hubble."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mildred wanta to improve, and is brave enough to ask Hecate for help.
> 
> With added Pippa just because.

Hecate Hardbroom sat at her desk, her head resting against the outstretched fingers of her hand. She let out a slow breath as the footsteps which had now been pacing outside her classroom door for the last ten minutes slowed, finally coming to a halt outside the door before starting up once more. With a sigh, she turned in her chair, listening as the footsteps repeated their path, before stopping once more. With a flick of her wrist, she swung the door open, revealing a wide-eyed Mildred Hubble. 

“Did you want something Mildred?”

She watched as the girl did her best impression of a goldfish, her mouth opening and closing a number of times before she finally blurted. “You keep telling me I need to do better, and I want to do better. I’ve done a draft of my essay and wondered if you’d have a look it. If you’re not busy that is. You’re probably busy. You’re definitely busy. This is silly.”

“Mildred!” she called, causing the girl, who had been in the midst of a 180 degree turn to leave, to halt, physically flinching at the sound of her voice. She held out a hand, eyebrow raised. She inwardly congratulated the girl as she squared her shoulders before turning back and walking determinedly towards her, laying the draft essay in her waiting palm. She stood awkwardly for a moment, before taking a seat in one of the chairs that sat opposite to Hecate’s own, her back ramrod straight and her hands tucked beneath her thighs. Hecate could almost sense her fighting the urge to fidget.

Laying the papers down in front of her, she slowly began to read, reaching only line 4 before the urge to roll her eyes set in. Setting her jaw, however, she continued on, reading the essay as she always did when marking one of her student’s work. All the way through once, to gauge just how pitiful an attempt it was, then taking time to deconstruct it and add her own commentary after.

Turning the final page, the urge to sigh became to strong to resist. With a flick of her hand, her signature red pen appeared, ready and poised. “May I?” she asked. She waited for a surprised nod of assent before putting pen to paper, underlining a few lines and making concise notes for improvement in the margin. She glanced up at Mildred, who was leaning forward in her chair, trying to read her comments upside down across the desk. 

She paused, frowning for a moment. This wasn’t working. With a flick of the hand that wasn’t holding her pen, she moved both chair and child until Mildred was sat beside her where she could see her draft and the commentary being added. The hands that had been clamped under Mildred’s thighs now gripped the edges of the chair tightly, clearly not having expected the sudden move. 

“You write without any clear structure,” she said, trying to ignore the wary look that the girl was giving her. “Do you write a plan before you begin to write the essay itself?”

“Well…I think about it a lot, and do reading and research, and then start writing when I think I have the answer,” answered Mildred.

“But you don’t write anything down for your plan?”  
Mildred shook her head.

Hecate nodded. “Okay. Well, if you’re looking to improve, I might suggest that as your starting point. It will help you organise your thoughts before begin to write and give you something to refer back to when you begin to…wander,” she finally added after searching her vocabulary for the least cutting word she could find. Damn Pippa Pentangle and her attempts at being supportive, and in making everyone else supportive as she went.

“When you’re planning your essay, you should start by setting out what you want to say in your introduction, the argument you’re trying to prove. In this case-“ she reached for Mildred’s essay, flicking through the pages, you do this here, after you’ve already begun to try and illustrate your argument.” She made a mark down the side of the lines she was referring to, noting ‘intro’ neatly beside them. “Then, you should say how you intend to prove your argument.” She once again referred back to Mildred’s essay. “Which you have done, here, here, here and here,” she said, moving the pages closer to the girl to let her see how she had numbered them one to four. “Start with your strongest argument, and then use the remaining points in support. If it’s appropriate, as it often is, you should also acknowledge arguments which may go against your position. I suggest in this case, you do a bit further reading on that front.”

Mildred frowned. “But if they don’t help what I’m trying to say why should I put them in?”

“They may not support your argument, but the point of including them is to acknowledge there is another side to the argument.” She paused for a moment, turning to narrow her gaze at the bookshelf behind Mildred’s head. With a flick of her wrist, she brought a bound black volume into her waiting grasp. “This might help with that.” 

“I can get the copy from the library rather than your copy,” said the girl, hesitant to reach out for the book that had so narrowly missed her head as it had sailed past, loathe to risk touching it and bringing her well known aptitude for destroying things to bare on one of Miss Hardbroom’s personal possessions. She didn’t get the chance to refuse, however, as the book was pressed into her hands. 

“You might find this copy a little more helpful,” said Hecate, knowing that as with all her books, they were carefully annotated, and safe in the knowledge that also as with all of her books, they were under a number of protective spells. She hoped the rather more concise nature of her annotations would allow Mildred to easier grasp the points. “Now, once you’ve acknowledged any arguments contrary to your own, you move on to sum up the points you have made, and why your argument is correct. Then, finally, you bring everything together and sum everything up in a final paragraph.” She indicated Mildred’s essay. “Rather than coming to quite such an abrupt halt.” She paused once more. “Does that all make sense?”

Mildred met her teacher’s eyes, and for once, she found she wasn’t quite so nervous being the sole focus of her attention. “I think so.”

“Good.” Hecate allowed herself the brief glimmer of a smile as she passed back the draft essay. The girl was trying. The girl who had chosen to stay here, rather than fly off to Pentangles and a world of positivity. “Shall I expect a further draft, same time tomorrow?”  
“You’d…You’d that for me?” asked Mildred, holding her papers and Miss Hardbroom’s book to her chest.

She took a moment to soften her expression. “Mildred Hubble, you are a student, and so long as you are wiling to learn, I am willing to teach.”

Mildred smiled widely. “Thank you, Miss Hardbroom.” With a duck of her head, she stood  
“Just one more thing, Miss Hubble,” she said, not missing how quickly Mildred’s smile vanished. Expecting the worst, no doubt. She reached for a fresh piece of paper, quickly scrawling down a few lines. “Next time, if you’re going to pace outside for quite so long, use this first.” She passed the paper to the girl, as seemed to be becoming a habit, watching as she frowned as she read over the words. Her pigtails flew as her head snapped back up, eyes wide in understanding, a laugh of disbelief bubbling up from her throat.

“It silences your footsteps?”

“Tried and tested,” smirked Hecate. “Until tomorrow, Miss Hubble.”

Mildred, with one final dip of her head made a quick break for the door. She stopped in the doorway, however, and Hecate frowned, half expecting her to turn around with some inane question. She was surprised however, when the next words out of her mouth were, “Well met, Miss Pentangle.”

“Well met, Miss Hubble. Have a pleasant evening,” came ever more familiar honeyed tones as the woman herself came into view. Pippa, as ever, was clad in her signature magenta, a warm smile on her lips. She came to perch on the edge of Hecate’s desk. “Well met, Hiccup,”

“Well met, Pipsqueak,” the darker witch chuckled as she replied. “So, just how long were you outside my door?”

“What? No how are you? What brings you here? Just how long were you eavesdropping?” smirked Pippa. She rolled her eyes at the other woman’s perfectly arched eyebrow. “Fine. I may have been there for a few minutes.” She reached out and covered Hecate’s hand where it rested on the desk. “You were good with her.” 

Hecate snorted. 

“I mean it,” said the blonde gently, linking their fingers as Hecate turned her hand in hers. “You were patient and kind with her. I think you’re starting to see a little bit of yourself in her.”

Again, came the snort. “My essays were never such a shambles.”

“Of course not, Hiccup. You never submitted anything that wasn’t worth an A,” smiled Pippa, sliding along the desk to be closer to Hecate. 

The taller woman squeezed the hand holding her own. “You might have had a point though. She has been more…settled since I’ve had the odd word with her.”  
“Careful, that sounds an awful lot like you’re saying I’m right.”

Pushing herself to her feet, Hecate came to stand before the pink clad blonde, resting their foreheads together and enjoying the calm she had come to appreciate came with simply being close to the other woman. “Oh, I don’t know if I’d go that far. Though you do have your moments of genius.” She trailed the fingers of her free hand up to cup Pippa’s cheek, her thumb stroking gently over the soft skin. “Not that I’m complaining, but why are you here? We didn’t have plans, did we?”

“Oh, so now we get to the polite conversation?” smirked the blonde, turning her head to press a kiss to Hecate’s thumb. “Don’t worry, we didn’t have any plans you’d forgotten about. I just wanted to see you, is all,” she finished, her voice soft.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mildred, meditation and magic in the woods.
> 
> Added Pippa for good measure.
> 
> (also, this is unbeta'd so if you spot any mistakes, please message me and let me know)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn't the chapter I intended to write - initially it started with two words - they meditate - and somehow it ended up with this. 
> 
> I'm not sure if this is a bit off compared to the feel of the previous two chapters, but I'd love to hear what you think.

Hecate sat back a little in her chair, eyes skimming over the report before her.  As was usual at their weekly staff meetings, towards the end of discussions, the teachers raised any concerns they may have about specific pupils.  They had found it was a good way of addressing any concerns, given that the other members of staff could give immediate feedback etiher agreeing with the concern, at which point, they would put their heads together and discuss how best to go forward and help the student in question, or perhaps be reassured that the child seemed perfectly happy and capable in other classes, and perhaps just needed a little extra guidance in one are in particular, or was simply having an off day.

It came as little surprise to Hecate that Mildred often featured in these discussions.  There was no denying she was improving, but as she advanced through her education, her powers also grew.  She was also tackling more complex magic, the results of which could often be unpredictable at best. 

"Hecate?"

The potions mistress looked up at Ada's voice.  "Yes?"

"I had a bit of an idea when it came to Miss Hubble and wondered if you felt you might be up for the challenge?"

Hecate could feel a headache coming on.  She raised an eyebrow in question.

Ada looked around the room before continuing.  "I think we'd all agree that you are probably the most controlled of any of us, and your mastery of the craft is second to none.  I wondered, given you skills, whether you might tutor Mildred a little in learning to control the flow of her magic."

"Isn't that what we all try and teach her?"

The headmistress smiled softly.  "Well, yes.  But I rather meant a more...individual form of tutoring."

Yes, Hecate definitely felt a headache coming on.  "Oh?"

"Well," Ada went on.  "I thought it worth a try, at least?"

Refraining the urge to roll her eyes in light of Ada's hopeful smile, she sighed.  "I suppose it might be worth a try."

Ada sighed in relief.  She knew Hecate had also experienced her own difficulties in controlling her magic in her younger years and had developed a number of ways of coping and learning to adapt her techniques.  She hoped that her personal experience would perhaps help in assisting Mildred to do the same.

*

So that was how it came to be that on one rainy Friday evening, rather than enjoying time with her friends, Mildred found herself in Miss Hardbroom's classroom, the woman sitting across the desk from her watching her intently. 

"Miss Cackle explained why you're here?"

Mildred nodded.

“This isn’t meant to be a punishment,” Hecate went on, wishing she had perhaps consulted with Pippa in how best to approach the situation.  How to make it more…fun, and less daunting for the girl.  “Though I understand you would most likely rather spend your evening elsewhere.”  _With anyone else._

The girl fidgeting in her seat, looking seriously at her teacher.  “I meant it when I said I want to improve.  I want to be better.  And if this is what it takes…”

Hecate nodded.  She was pleased to see that Mildred appeared to have a renewed determination in improving at her studies.  “I can’t promise that this will help, but what I can say is that these are techniques that I have used and which have assisted me in improving my control.  Before we begin, however, I think it’s important to discuss what seems to be the cause of some of your…explosive moments.”

Mildred dropped her gaze to the floor.  She could tell Miss Hardbroom in one word what had set off most of her moments where she had lost her control of late; Ethel.  But she didn’t want to be the girl who told on her classmates.

The potions mistress sighed as she watched the Mildred’s expression change and frown take up residence on her face.  “Might it be fair to say that there are certain classmates who when they perhaps make certain comments make you want to react?”

She watched as the girl looked up at her carefully chosen words. 

“You could say that.”

“Then how about tonight we try a couple of simple calming techniques?  Ways that when you feel you want to react, you can use to hopefully bring your magic back in line?”

Mildred nodded, straightening up in her chair. 

“As you know, your magic is linked very much to your emotions, and intent can have a huge bearing on any spell.  When you’re angry, your magic can very be unpredictable.  That is why we always tell you never to cast in anger.  Sometimes, however, your magic can act on your emotions without you actively trying to cast.”

The girl looked up, looking sheepish.  “When I get angry, it feels like static in my fingers.  Like a little electric shock.”

Hecate nodded.  It was a feeling she had experienced many times.  “If you were a less powerful witch, it wouldn’t happen as easily.  But because you are powerful, it’s almost like a jug filled too full, it spills out with only the gentlest of nudges.  It can be when you’re angry, like you said, or when you’re nervous or scared.”  She shifted in her own chair.  “Now, some of these techniques may seem rather simple, and even sound quite patronising as I explain then, but as I’ve said, they are things that I have found useful in the past.”

*

Hecate could pick out Ethel’s voice amongst the others and while she couldn’t make out the words, her tone was clear.  She kept her back to the class, but turned her head to watch them in the reflection in one of her storage jars.  She smiled to herself when at Ethel’s needling, Mildred turned away, pressing her thumb to each finger one way, then back again as she counted in for eight and out for eight. 

As they had hoped, this simple technique was enough to keep Mildred’s magic from bubbling over and sparking off some worse reaction.  She wondered if the girl had also been practicing her meditation, or whether it remained too much of an ask that she sit still and close her eyes for longer than sixty seconds without her sneaking a peek at her potions mistress and fidgeting.

*

“You did well in class with Ethel,” said Hecate as Mildred settled into the chair opposite her the following Friday evening. 

Rather than preen under the unexpected compliment, the girl sighed, shoulder’s slumping.  “I’m glad it’s working, but it’s hard.  She’s getting fed up of me not reacting and just keep trying harder to annoy me.”

Hecate could sympathise with that.  She had spent much of her time in her younger years trying to ignore the jibes and taunts of her classmates.  Children could be downright cruel sometimes.  “You do well not to respond to her.”

“I don’t want to be horrible to her, and I know if I do say something it’ll be something nasty that I don’t really mean.  I keep trying to do what we practised, but sometimes I still feel myself slipping.”

Not for the first time, Hecate thought the girl had one of the purest hearts she had come across.  She may be the cause of more mishaps than any other student she had known, but she would go out of her way to help others, and would never knowingly do anything to hurt another person.  “Developing your control takes time, Mildred.  You have made progress, though and the more you continue to practise, the easier it will become.”  She paused, taking a breath before speaking again, her voice uncharacteristically soft.  “You said before, it sometimes feels like things are all too much, and that when you find yourself in those moments, you can struggle with your control.”

Mildred nodded, shifting in her chair.  She was slowly becoming more comfortable in spending time with her teacher, and in accepting her help, but it had been rather unsettling to her the older woman open up to her.  To hear her admit that as a young witch that she too had faced similar difficulties.  Everything seemed to come to her so easily. 

“I know how that feels,” admitted Hecate.  “You’ve probably seen by now that I don’t like loud gatherings or in situations where I am not in control.  Sometimes, to help focus, it can help to filter out other distractions.”  She reached to remove the piece of folded paper she had safely tucked in her belt.  Unfolding it, she laid it out in front of Mildred, watching as she mouthed over the words.  As her lips moved, Hecate could feel her magic trying to mould itself to her will, but falling short when the girl frowned, trying to fathom the application of the spell.  Soon, Hecate felt, the girl would be able to cast silently.  Her magic was already willing.  But for now, aloud it was, if only so Hecate could ensure the was casting the spell correctly.  “It’s a muting spell.  I thought it might be helpful in situations where you might be trying to ignore someone’s hurtful words, or helping get rid of distractions when you’re studying.”

The pair spent a little time going over the words, before Hecate encouraged Mildred to cast.  Sensing the girls magic flare as she cast, Hecate gave her a few moments, before catching her eye and speaking loudly and clearly.  “How does it feel?”

By the look on the girls face she knew it had worked.

“Like I’m in a bubble?” came the confused answer.  “Everything sounds quieter, and you sound really far away.”

Hecate nodded.  The spell was working as it should then. 

“How do I stop it?”

Turning the piece of paper over, Hecate pushed it in front of Mildred.  She could disable the spell herself, but she wanted the girl to be the one to do it, especially when the way of breaking a muting spell differed for each witch.  The description she had written down told her to imagine coming up from underwater.  She watched as she closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them and taking a gulp of air.  It wasn’t quite what she had meant, but if it worked…

“I think it worked,” grinned Mildred. 

“Quite sure?” asked Hecate, getting a grin in response.  “Good.  You’ve picked that up quickly.  It can be a helpful spell when things are getting a little overwhelming.  And I’ve spoken with your teachers, and if you’re in class and feel you want to use it, not when your teacher it speaking to you, of course, then they are happy or you to do so.  They only ask that you give them a small sign first.  I might suggest using the pencil case you always carry.  I’ve noticed you place it at the top of your desk.  Perhaps, when you want to use the spell, you could turn it to the side?” 

Mildred nodded.

“Of course, if your teacher is speaking and you haven’t noticed, they may bring you out of the spell, but I’ve asked them to try and avoid it if they can,” explained Hecate.  “It can be rather jarring to be brought back into the room at full volume if you haven’t been expecting it.”

The girl looked across at her teacher.  She had always seemed to in control to her, but the more time she spent with her, she realised just how much work it took for her to appear that way. 

*

“I’ve been thinking,” said Hecate as Mildred took her seat, unconsciously picking at a loose thread at the end of her sleeve.  She has asked her to come in comfortable clothes this evening, hoping that casual attire would help her relax.  “About your meditation.”

Mildred sighed.  “I just don’t think it works for me.”

“Mildred, the last time I saw you try it you barely closed your eyes for longer than sixty seconds.  I want you to try it again, but this time I had something different in mind.”  She stood, brushing down her skirts.  “Would you mind if I transferred us?”

Mildred shrugged, feeling like she wasn’t exactly going to enjoy this particular lesson.  She was surprised then, when she found herself suddenly standing in the middle of a clearing in the woods.

“I thought, with your affinity for animals and nature that perhaps a change of location may help.”  Hecate gestured with her hand, conjuring a blanket and some cushions to allow them to settle comfortably.  She sat, adjusting her skirt to allow her to cross her legs.  Mildred tried to follow her example, but rather than settling, she merely continued to fidget.  Hecate sighed.  “Mildred, the purpose of this if for you to get comfortable before we begin.  If you’re not comfortable there’s no point in even starting.”  As Mildred shifted, trying to decide how best to position herself, she began to unpin her own hair.  It had been a long week and the tight nature of her customary hairstyle was starting to bring on a headache.  Shaking her now loose curls over her shoulder, she turned to find that Mildred had finally settled on her back.

Mildred tried to keep her eyes skyward, but he found her attention drifting back to her potions mistress.  With her hair down, she looked less severe.  Softer.  Very pretty, actually.  As her teacher began to speak, her voice gentle, Mildred let her eyes drift close.  As the sounds of the birds and the rustling of her trees reached her eyes, she found it easier to breathe and relax.  She found herself calmer, able to follow the direction of her potions mistress as she breathed in for the slow count, and slowly released it. 

This time, when she was prompted to feel for her magic, and to let it settle and centre within her as she breathed, she was amazed to find that she was able to.  She slowly opened her eyes and sat herself up, catching the hint of a pleased smile on her teacher’s face.  Her eyes widened in shock when she realised that said teacher was also holding her staff.

“I thought we might begin to practice your control, given the progress you’ve made.”  She held the wooden staff out for Mildred to take.  “You’ve worked very well in learning to control your unwanted sparks of magic.  Now to work on channelling the deliberate flow of your own magic.”

Mildred sighed.  “It sometimes feels like it’s all or nothing.  Like a switch that doesn’t work sometimes.”

“We can work on that.”  With a flourish of her hand, she summoned her own staff.  “You’ve seen this before?”

Mildred tried to hide her grin.  “Your new quill?”

Hecate raised an eyebrow.  “Miss Hubble…”  She shook her head, fighting off a smirk of her own.  “I was perhaps unnecessarily harsh when I found you had made your own staff.”  She dropped her gaze to the floor.  “I apologise.” 

She turned her staff over in her hands.  “I too made a staff when I was younger and was punished rather severely for using it and not learning the ‘proper’ ways for a witch, and it was taken from me and destroyed.”  She paused, looking up.  “It’s not always easy, but I am learning to adapt myself, and accept that there can be alternatives, and that those aren’t always wrong.”  She lifted her staff, letting her magic flow through it and light it up.  “Your staff can give you a focus for your magic, and something to direct it though.  I found myself, than in channelling magic through the staff, especially when like your magic is particularly powerful, that it keeps it focused, and lets you get used to the feel of its flow, until you can set aside the staff and direct that flow yourself without your magic trying to go in its own direction.”

Under Hecate’s direction, Mildred practiced letting her magic slowly flow through the staff in a simple light spell.  They practised brightening and dimming the light, Hecate encouraging Mildred to hold it steady at different points, and get used to the feel of reigning in her magic, of getting used to her controlling it, rather than it seeking to control her.

“How does it feel?  Your magic, I mean.”

Mildred tilted her head as she thought.  “Less spiky.  It sometimes feels like I have extra magic.  It feels almost itchy sometimes.” 

“I can understand that,” replied Hecate.  “What you’ve described it precisely what you’re experiencing.  Casting little spells can help burn off the excess, and when you learn transference that can also be a good, harmless way of burning it off.  In the meantime, however, you can keep using light spells, small charms, letting your magic seep into your drawings as you often do.”

Mildred hadn’t thought Miss Hardbroom had paid such close attention to her drawing.  She had always thought she didn’t really care for it after her reaction to the entrance exam.  “Is that why you transfer so often?” she asked, finally.

Hecate allowed herself the barest twitch of a smile.  “Partly.”

“Is there any way you can store the extra magic?” asked Mildred. 

“There are, yes,” replied Hecate, pleased that the girl was thinking outside of the obvious.  “But they’re a little advanced for you yet.  You’ll learn there are ways to store magic within your familiar, but that’s in years to come.  For now, suffice to say that magic likes to be used.  It doesn’t do well sitting dormant.”  She took a deep breath, pushing herself to her feet.  “I think it’s time we headed back, don’t you?”

Mildred nodded, pushing herself to her feet and watching as her teacher sent the pillows and blanket back to the school.  “Can I ask you something?”

“My saying no has never stopped you before,” drawled Hecate.  “Go on then.”

“Where did you get your staff?  The one you have now, I mean.” she asked, hesitating before she spoke further.  “You said before the one you made was taken away from you and destroyed.”

There was a sadness in Mildred’s tone, Hecate observed.  She knew she didn’t have to answer, but she felt that Mildred was perhaps owed something for her efforts so far.  She hadn’t shied away from Hecate and had made a real effort in their private lessons.  “Miss Pentangle is not what you might call a traditional witch.  When we were in school together she didn’t see the sense in not using something where it helped, even if it was meant to a ‘wizard’s’ thing.  She made this one for my birthday one year.”

“It’s beautiful,” said Mildred, smiling. 

“Miss Pentangle has a skill in creating beautiful things.”

“Do you think she would tell you how she made it?” asked Mildred.  “I’d love to try and make one that was pretty like that.”  She looked at her own.  “Mine looks a bit rubbish compared to it.”

Hecate looked at it.  “I happen to think it’s very well crafted, but if you’d like, I can ask.” 

Mildred grinned.  “Thank you.”

“Shall we?” asked Hecate, gesturing with her hand.  At Mildred’s nod, she transferred them back to the potions lab. 

“And here I thought you might have stood me up.”

Hecate whirled at the sound of the familiar voice.  “Pippa?”

“Our Friday night chess game?” smiled the blonde from her perch on the edge of Hecate’s desk. 

“Like wizard’s chess?” asked Mildred, practically brimming with excitement.

Pippa chuckled.  “Like muggles chess, I’m afraid.”

Mildred frowned in disappointment.  She had expected more.  She glanced back at HB, who was looking between the two of them, a look of bewilderment on her face.  “I should go,” she said, gathering the things she had left behind before they transferred to the woods.  “Thank you, again.  And it was nice to see you again, Miss Pentangle.”

“And you Mildred,” smiled the blonde, watching as the girl skipped off.  “How are the lessons going?”

“Surprisingly well, actually,” admitted Hecate as she moved to carefully store her staff away, not missing the proud smile Pippa wore at seeing she still kept and used it. 

Pippa moved to stand in front of the taller woman, reaching for her hands.  “Why surprisingly?  You went through the same sort of thing.  It makes sense that you would be able to help and guide her through things now.”  She squeezed the hands in her own.  “You left your hair down,” she smiled.

Hecate nodded.  “I took it down outside.  It was starting to pinch, and I didn’t want to get tetchy when I shouldn’t.  Not when she’s actually been trying.  She even managed to meditate for a short while tonight.”  She let her eyes flutter closed as the hands that had been holding her own began to thread through her hair. 

“I used to enjoy meditating with you,” said Pippa, quietly. 

Hecate smiled softly.  “You used to sit with my head in your lap as I meditated.  Playing with my hair.”

“Precisely,” chuckled Pippa.  “I used to enjoy it immensely.”  She stood up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to the darker haired witch’s forehead.  “What do you say we ditch the chess tonight and run you a nice hot bath?”  She watched as Hecate’s eyes fluttered open, a blush blooming across her cheeks.  She didn’t move away, simply gave her time.  She knew that Hecate still struggled in letting herself be taken care of, but she found she was slowly being let back in. 

“That would be nice.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to whoever I've stolen this idea from - I know I've read a similar idea before (better written too).
> 
> HB stands up for Mildred against a wayward inspector.

"We've only just had Miss Doomstone in. Surely another inspection so soon after is unprecedented?"

"Unprecedented though it may be, Hecate, it would appear our guest is here," sighed Ada, forcing a smile and heading off to greet the inspector.

*

Hecate hadn't liked the woman the moment she walked in, before even. They had attended teaching college together, and she recalled her being rather loud and opinionated then. She hadn't changed either and it was clear from Arabelle Merryweather's greeting of her that although Hecate remembered her, the darker haired witch had sparked no similar recollection in the other witch.

Hecate wasn't sure whether to be relieved or annoyed, so chose indifference. It was a mask she was finding rather hard to keep in place, however, as she caught snatches of comments from the other witch, none of which were complimentary. And some of which, she seethed to hear, were rather unfairly directed at a certain Mildred Hubble.

She could admit now, that she had been unfair in her initial appraisal of the girl. Non-magical background or not the girl had been determined to succeed. And succeed she had, saving Hecate herself and the school on more than one occasion. 

*

Mildred dropped her gaze to her shoes, blinking furiously to clear the tears gathering in her eyes. Hate was not a word she used lightly, but she hated the new inspector. She had never been made to feel so out of place since her first days at Cackle's. Biting the inside of her cheek to keep her lips from trembling, she sniffed and looked up, hoping that looking out the window and the sight of the trees outside would help calm her. She had already tried to count slowly with her fingers, but it didn't seem to be helping, and she could hardly cast a muting spell now. 

Her eyes drifting from the window, she caught sight of Miss Hardbroom levelling a glare worse than any she's been on the receiving end of at the inspector and clenching her fists at her sides. The woman met her eyes, mouthing clearly the words 'don't listen to her'.

*

"What seems to be the problem, Miss Merryweather?" Asked Hecate, her voice sickly sweet. She knew the inspection had to go well, but that didn't stop her wanting to turn the woman before her into mouse. And placing that mouse in front of a cat.

"It seems one of your students is rather fond of going off book and doing things her own way," replied the inspector.

Hecate moved to glance over the spell which Mildred was following, and the ingredients on her bench.   
"It clearly states to slice the beetle, and Miss Hubble here would appear to be crushing it."

"Yes," said Hecate. "Because any witch with an ounce of sense knows that in crushing it you release the juices better and thus making for a more potent brew." With that she walked away, looking over her other students work. She cast a glance towards Mildred, who was now smiling proudly, and working with renewed determination and completely ignoring the inspector standing beside her.

*

Mildred reached into her pencil case, taking out another colour to add to her drawings. Today it was the history of the fearies, and as was usual for her, as she listened to her Mr Rowan Webb, rather than taking notes on some parts, she drew them, having found that a visual representation helped her remember better.

"Doodling in class, are we?" Hissed the inspector, hovering behind Mildred. 

"It helps me remember," she replied, her voice meeker than she would have liked. Any confidence she had gained in the face of the inspector during her potions class had melted away in the face of her icy stare. She didn't think she would ever fine Miss Hardbroom terrifying again after being faced with the poorly named Miss Merryweather. 

Mr Webb stepped forward. "I have no objection to her taking notes in any way she things is best."

"I hardly think that drawing pretty pictures is helping her unleash her academic potential."

Mildred silently pushed her colouring pencils back into their case, and sat with her eyes trained on her notebook for the rest of the lesson, taking notes as best she could. She only looked up to cast a glance at Enid, who gave her a small smile in sympathy, having also been on the receiving end of Miss Merryweather's barbs that morning. Maud spent the rest of the lesson glaring at the older witch for upsetting both of her friends in a single sitting. 

At the end of class, Mildred pushed her belongings haphazardly into her bag, just wanting to leave and have some space from the horrible woman. She was vaguely aware of the classroom going silent, and then of her classmates practically running for the door. It wasn't until she looked up and found Miss Hardbroom standing just inside the doorway, a fierce look on her face that she realised why. 

"Miss Merryweather, a word, if I may?" 

Mildred ducked her head, quickly leaving the room and closing the door behind her. She wanted to leave, but hesitated. In the end, her curiosity got the better of her. Stepping quietly closer to the door once more, she was surprised to be able to clearly hear the voices of the two witches inside. She had expected Miss Hardbroom to have cast a silencing spell at the very least.

*

"Would you care to explain why you have doggedly and determinedly tore down everything that Mildred Hubble has done today?" Asked Hecate, her voice low and dangerous. 

Miss Merryweather let out a bark of laughter. "Are you serious? And here I heard you were all for tradition. You must see she's a liability. She has no respect or application for the craft whatsoever. Still, I suppose that's not to be unexpected given her background."

Hecate took a deep breath, her tongue pressing against the back of her teeth as she took a moment to collect her thoughts. "If it wasn't for Miss Hubble this school wouldn't even be standing," she said finally, advancing on the woman in front of her. " New to the craft though she may be, she has advanced admirably, and faces each new challenge head on. Often literally, I admit, but she has never been afraid to try, and even through her difficulties, she succeeds. And what is more, unlike some arrogant, nasty, judgemental, foolish witches who think their name and their heritage are all they need to succeed, she is kind and she is good and will always have a place here at Cackle's and should your report say anything different, Miss Merryweather, or make any recommendations for Mildred's removal from the magical community I will fight it every step of the way." 

She was practically nose to nose with the other woman now. "And I. will. Win."

The inspector had the gall to smirk. "You really think you could?"

"Oh I know I could," snapped the potions mistress. "You may not remember me from teaching college, but I remember you. There's many a tale of your flagrant and repeated violations of the code that I could tell the Council." She watched as the witch in front of her paled. "I'd also keep that in mind when you visit Pentangles. A rather unorthodox school though it may be, I think you'll find it to the flourishing under Miss Pentangles guidance."

With Hecate in her path to the door, Miss Merryweather first opened her mouth as if to speak, then apparently thought better of it and with a flick of her wrist, transferred from the room. Hecate let her go. She had said all she wanted to say. Turning, she opened the door, a knowing look on her face as she found Mildred standing in the doorway. Generally, she hated eavesdroppers, but she had wanted Mildred to hear what she had to say. To hear that she wasn't the worst witch, and certainly wasn’t the abomination against magic he inspector had been making her out to be.   
What she didn't expect, however, was for Mildred to be staring at her with such a look of awe on her face. 

"You stood up for me?"

Hecate led her back into the classroom, pacing slightly as she spoke. "I know how it feels to be pushed around and made to feel like you're less than you are by petty, foolish witches." She stopped and turned to look at Mildred with a small smile. "I may be harsh at times, Mildred, but it is only out of a desire to see you improve. I hope you never think I've been cruel?"  
Mildred shook her head, blinking away tears as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Hecate's waist. "Thank you."

For her part, Hecate tried not to squirm, and instead awkwardly patted Mildred's shoulder. "You don't need to thank me, Mildred. You have more than earned my support."

"Thank you anyway."

Hearing soft voices from the corridor on her hunt for her deputy after having Miss Merryweather first appear in her office and then promptly announced that she had seen quite enough and was leaving, Ada took pause. Taking in the scene before her, she decided that any questions she had could wait, silently transferring out before was caught with a fond smile on her face.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mildred seeks out Hecate for help of a more personal nature.
> 
> Pure ans utter fluff with added soft Hecate.

Mildred had gotten herself into pretty scary, and come to think on it, life threatening situations before. But in the moment, when she had actually been there, she had always managed to push her fear aside and had never actually thought she was going to die. 

Tonight, however, she wasn't so sure. She was bleeding, and it just wouldn't stop. It was on her pyjamas and her sheets too. Not to mention the pain. A clawing sensation in her lower abdomen that brought tears to her eyes. 

Cleaning herself up as best she could, she wrapped her robe around herself tightly, intent on finding help. 

*

Hecate blinked awake in the darkness, frowning when she couldn't place the cause of the interruption to her sleep. The timid knock at her door a few moments later explained. Pulling herself from her bed, she sleepily pulled on her robe, trying to make sure she was at least covered up before she opened the door to whatever wayward student (judging from the height of the knock) was standing on the other side.

She wasn't greatly surprised to find Mildred standing in her doorway, but she was surprised to see the tears in the girl's eyes. "Mildred, whatever is the matter?" She asked, concerned.

"There's something wrong," replied Mildred, her breath hitching on her sobs. "Something really wrong with me."

Hecate frowned, struggling to understand. "Has someone said something? Something happened?"

Mildred shook her head, sniffling. 

"Are you in pain?"

At this, Mildred nodded. "It hurts."

Stepping back, Hecate guided the girl into her chambers, waving a hand to reignite the fire. "Where does it hurt, Mildred?" She asked, her eyes scanning the girl for injury as she guided her with a gentle hand on her back towards the sofa in front of the fire, trying to encourage her to sit. Mildred, however, refused with a sharp shake of her head when Hecate gestured to the sofa. "Mildred, if you came to me for help, you have to tell me what the matter is before I can do anything."

Suddenly embarrassed, Mildred fidgeted, wringing her hands and refusing to meet her teacher's eye. "I'm bleeding," she finally admitted, in a voice so small Hecate strained to hear it.

"Bleed-...Oh!" Hecate immediately softened. She perched on the edge of her sofa, bringing herself down to Mildred's eye level. "Mildred, I promise that what you're experiencing now is entirely natural. It may not feel it right now, but it is something you will unfortunately get used to."

"This is normal?" Hissed Mildred, her eyes wide. "What, like it happens to everyone?"

"Not to everyone, no. But to girls, yes. And I'm afraid to inform you it will happen again." She pushed herself to her feet, guiding the girl to the bathroom. She conjured up some fresh pyjamas and underwear and perched on the edge of her bath as she explained matters as best she could, trying to reduce the embarrassment on both sides. Finally, when she felt Mildred had a handle on things, she left her to change and clean up, instructing her to drop anything that needed cleaned into the washing basket in the corner and that she would deal with it. 

Closing the bathroom door as she left, Hecate first transferred herself to Mildred's room, quickly changing the bedcovers and sending the bedding and discarded night things to the laundry for cleaning so the girl could at least come back to a clean room. She also made sure to leave a stock of what she would need in the next few days so she didn't have to be embarrassed about asking. Pausing for a moment, and unable to ignore the urge, she flicked her wrist a few more times, straightening up the room and its contents. 

Transferring back to her own chambers, she set about brewing some tea from her own secret stash. It was a blend she made herself, and while it perhaps wasn't the most pleasant taste in the world, it worked wonders on cramps and in an almost all female academy, was often in hot demand. 

When Mildred finally emerged from the bathroom, her cheeks were flamed red with embarrassment. Hecate tactfully chose to ignore this and motioned for her to join her in front of the fire. She poured the tea and gently passed Mildred a cup. "Drink this. It doesn't taste wonderful, but I promise it does help with the pain."

She watched as Mildred took a sip, grimacing at the taste. She had expected her to try and set the cup aside, but the fact she took a second sip quickly after gave Hecate an indication of just how bad her cramps must be. She could sympathise with the girl in this, having found herself wondering on more than one occasion if it was possible to magically removing her own uterus if only so she never had to endure another excruciating period again.

"It would appear you've just started a little earlier than your peers," she explained. "It is perfectly natural, if a little inconvenient at times. Any medical questions you might have I would probably save for your mother though. I daresay as a nurse she would be better placed to answer them than me." She paused for a moment, taking a sip of her own tea, hers a rather different blend. "I should also warn you, however, from a magical point of view that the variation in your hormones can affect your control over her powers a little. I say can, as it might not, but it is something to watch out for. With the work you've done lately in learning to better control your powers I suspect you won't have too much trouble on that front." 

She smiled as Mildred finished her tea, setting aside her cup with a yawn. "There's a little something in there to help you drift off."

"But my bed!" Said Mildred, sitting up suddenly.  
"Already taken care of," said Hecate gently. "When you were in the bathroom."

Mildred blushed, ducking her head.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, I assure you," said Hecate. "You're in an almost all female academy. You couldn't hope to find yourself in a more understanding place." 

"Thank you, Miss Hardbroom," said Mildred. "For everything," she added sheepishly. 

Hecate smiled, patting Mildred's shoulder lightly in the closes approximations he had to gesture of comfort towards a student she had. Perhaps that was something else she could bring up with Pippa, though she feared the other witch probably lavished her students in friendly hugs and supportive arm squeezes. "Think nothing of it. Off to bed with you now," she said, standing. She paused halfway to the door, however, twirling her fingers to conjure a mirror token. "Though if you wish to make a quick detour via the mirror room to call your mother, I'm sure I can forgive you being up past curfew for a few minutes longer."

Mildred reached out, taking the token with a quiet thank you as she headed for the door.

"And Mildred. I'm glad you felt like you could come to me tonight. That you feel you can trust me. If you need anything else, you need only knock."

The girl smiled at her teacher, softer again, with her hair down and slightly dishevelled from sleep. She wasn't quite sure when her potions mistress became her first port of call in a crisis, but she was glad to have her. "I will, Miss Hardbroom." 

"Just try not to knock again too soon," smirked the teacher. "Some of us old witches need out beauty sleep."

Mildred chuckled as she closed the door behind her. Did Miss Hardbroom just make a joke?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Mildred helps Hecate...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been languishing on my desktop unfinished for a while now and I wanted to try and bring it to an end. After asking for help via Tumblr and with the help of @knowthatiloveyou and her king suggestion, we finally got there,
> 
> But that's not to say I'm entirely done with it...there's a chance of a follow up if anyone is interested. And I'm certainly a long way from done with this fandom and this pairing.

Hecate paced furiously outside the door to the hall, the sounds of the Yule festivities echoing out from within.  Four steps forward, a brisk heel turn, four steps back.  She had stepped out for a few moments of air, her mind still going over where she could possibly have put Pippa’s present.  She had looked everywhere for it, tried to summon and locate with every spell she could think of but to no avail.  There was simply too much magic, her own included around the school for her to pinpoint the small parcel. 

She still had no idea how she had even lost it.  She had been carrying it with her almost the entire day, rehearsing what she wanted to say in her head.  She could only fathom that she must have been so inside her own head that she had laid the box down and neglected to pick it up.

She sighed, fingers pressed to her temple.  This was not how she had imagined her evening.  She had planned it all, from her dress to the way she wore her hair to having a bottle of Pippa’s favourite strawberry wine sitting chilling at the top of the West tower, candles ready to be lit all along the wall.  She had been going to give Pippa her present there, where it was just the two of them and she could finally say all the little things she had been too scared to admit out loud.

Now, however, she couldn’t see beyond her own anger at herself for misplacing the gift she had spent so long selecting and enhancing with various charms, infusing it with her own magic.  She growled in frustration.  On any other night it would be simple to locate, but even tracking her own magic in amongst the excess magic in the school from its extra guests was difficult.  That and trying to separate the signature of her magic from the gift from the extra charms and wards she had placed around the school in preparation was proving fruitless. 

“Hiccup?”

She turned, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of Pippa in the dim light thrown out from the windows of the hall.  She didn’t think the woman would ever stop stealing her breath away.  She looked stunning, her hair falling in gentle waves about her face and her deep green dress following her curves before flowing out in full skirt, hiding the heels Hecate knew she must wear beneath and which added the extra few inches to her height. 

“What are you doing out here, it’s freezing.”  Pippa rubbed her arms, shivering slightly.  She had barely taken a step before she felt Hecate’s magic caress her skin, the air around her warming.  Coming to stand in front of the other woman, she reached out, rubbing her hands up Hecate’s uncharacteristically bare arms, which her daring backless dress left exposed.  As she had suspected, Hecate hadn’t been so kind to herself in creating a warming spell.  “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” lied Hecate.

Pippa raised an eyebrow.  “I know you, Hecate Hardbroom and you do not pace without reason.”  She gestured to the patch in the snow the other woman’s pacing had cleared. 

“It’s nothing, really,” tried Hecate again. 

“I’d believe that if it wasn’t for the pacing, Hiccup.”  She reached up to cup Hecate’s cheek.  “Tell me.  If you want to leave the ball early, if it’s getting a bit much, I don’t mind.  Even for me it’s a bit full on in there.  I’ll make sure they have enough staff to take care of the students and find you as soon as I can.”

Hecate shook her head.  “It’s not that.”  Though she was touched by Pippa’s understanding.

“Then what?”

“I…”  She thought back to earlier that evening when Pippa had presented her with her own gift, a beautiful pair of earrings.  She had carefully shifted her curls aside, fixing the mismatched earrings in her ears, a half moon and a star, her breath whispering past her cheek as she spoke, _‘Because you are my moon and my stars_ ’.  “I lost your present.”

Pippa let out a bark of laughter in relief.  “What?  Is that all?  I was worried something was wrong.”

Hecate frowned.  “It is.”  She shook her head, her pacing resuming as she spoke.  “I lost your present.  I had plans.  I was trying to make tonight special.  Trying to be…romantic.”  She stopped when warm hands caught her own.

“You don’t need to make some big grand plan to make any time spent with you special, Hiccup.  Or to be romantic,” smiled Pippa.  “Any time I spend with you is special to me.  And as for romantic, you think I don’t know where that pink rose appears from on my desk every Monday morning?  Or that I don’t notice you refilling the little dish of sweets in my rooms every time you visit?”  She leant in to press a gentle kiss to painted red lips.  “Please stop worrying?” she asked as she stepped back, her face hopeful. 

“I…”

“I found it!”

Both witches turned at the triumphant shout to see none other than Mildred Hubble standing in the open doorway, a small box held up in her hand.

“Earlier, you were looking for a box with a pink bow?” she asked, grinning at Hecate.  “It was under the tree in the hall.  Someone obviously seen it lying around and put it under the tree.”

She bounded up to the pair, holding the box out between them.  Seeing that Miss Hardbroom was apparently struggling to put a sentence together, her mouth opening and closing a number of time with no words actually making it past her lips, Mildred turned to Pippa. 

“I think this is meant for you.”

Taking the box from Mildred’s hands, Pippa glanced over at Hecate, who was wringing her hands nervously.  She pulled the ribbon from the box, her curiosity winning out.  Flipping the lid of the box open, she gasped as she read the words written inside the lid, tears springing to her eyes as her fingers stroked over the small gold pocket watch nested within.  A smaller copy of Hecate’s own, she recognised.

It was Hecate’s turn to gasp a moment later as she was wrapped in a fierce hug, Pippa’s face tucked into her neck.  She brought her own arms up to wrap around Pippa’s waist.

Mildred for her part had been surprised when the gift box had been thrust back into her hands as the blonde had launched herself at her potion’s mistress.  Glancing up to see that both teachers were pre-occupied, she chanced sneaking a look inside the box that had been all but thrown back into her grasp. 

_Every second with you is precious to me._

_You are precious to me._

_The sun in my sky, the fire to my ice,_

_And my reason to smile._

Looking up at her teacher, Mildred’s smile softened.  Underneath her harsh exterior, Miss Hardbroom truly was thoughtful and gentle.  She had had glimpses of this in their extra classes together, in moments where she was struggling, and Miss Hardbroom would try to find alternative ways to help her, that better suited her learning style.  She had also been witness to moments where, in her own eagerness to learn, she was given the privilege of seeing Hecate showing her passion for the craft, getting almost as carried away as Mildred herself in her enthusiasm, her tone and expression breaking from its usual measured, stoic bearing.

Mildred dug in the pocket of her cardigan, extracting a slip of paper bearing an elegant, looping script that certainly wasn’t her own.  She had found it amongst her notes from her class with her potion’s mistress the evening before and had been too embarrassed to admitting having found it and return it since.  She hadn’t read it all, only enough to realise that it was written by Miss Hardbroom, and without doubt intended for Miss Pentangle.

As the two witches before her parted, however, Miss Hardbroom blushing furiously under Miss Pentangle’s soft gaze, Mildred thought she might need the reminder of what she intended to say.  She pushed the gift box back into Miss Pentangle’s hands before slipping the folded parchment into Miss Hardbroom’s hand.  Her teacher frowned for a moment as she glanced at the paper before her eyes widened in recognition of just what Mildred had handed her and her blush deepened further, an almost shy look gracing her features. 

“Just in case it’s hard to get the words out,” said Mildred quietly before stepping back and walking backwards towards the hall once more.

Hecate couldn’t have stopped the smile that spread across her lips if she tried.  “Tell anyone about this and you will _live_ in detention.  Am I clear?”

Mildred merely grinned.  Harsh though the words may have sounded, there was none of Miss Hardbroom in the voice that said them.  No, the tone was too soft and warm. 

“Hecate!” chided Pippa, looking scandalised she would even make such a suggestion.

“Some of us have a reputation that is not all sunshine and smiles,” said Hecate, though any bite or seriousness of the barb was removed by the fact she actually laughed as she said it, surprising even herself.

Mildred giggled in response, pleased to see her teacher looking so calm and _happy._   “Enjoy the rest of the ball, Miss Hardbroom, Miss Pentangle.”  With a devious smirk, she let loose one small jet of magic above their heads before quickly retreating.

Hecate shook her head as she looked up, mistletoe sprouting above her.  Taking a deep breath, she reached for Pippa’s hand, pressing the parchment into her palm.  She watched as Pippa looked down at the paper in her hand, frowning.

“What’s this?”

Taking a deep breath, Hecate spoke, her voice only wavering slightly.  “It’s all the reasons I love you, that I can never quite seem to find the courage to say out loud.”

Pippa blinked furiously, trying to keep her tears from falling.  “What did you say?”

Clearing her throat, Hecate spoke once more.  This time, however, her voice was clear and sure.  “I love you.  I have for a very long time.”  This time, when Pippa launched herself at her in a fierce hug, she was ready for it, holding her tight. 

“I love you too,” breathed the blonde, the words ghosting past Hecate’s ear.  “So much.”

Pulling back, tears in her own eyes, Hecate found her smile widening as she took in the sight before her.  Pippa was smiling widely, positively glowing.  Letting out a watery laugh, she glanced up at the mistletoe, Pippa following her gaze before pulling her in and kissing her soundly.   

_Wretched girl..._


	7. Just a little follow up chapter...

Pippa's smile was soft in the darkened room.  The only light was the sliver of moonlight that crept through the gap in the curtains, falling across Hecate's naked back where she lay sprawled among the sheets.  The blonde lay propped in her elbow, content to simply watch the woman she loved slumber on, her expression soft and unguarded in sleep.

Hecate loved her.  It seemed that now she had said it once, she was intent on saying it at every opportunity.  She had breathed it like a mantra against her skin earlier that night.  Said it between every kiss as though it might be her last chance.  Still, as many times as she repeated it, Pippa never tired of it.  Would never tire of it. 

Slipping from the bed, and careful not to jostle Hecate, she crossed over to where her gift lay open on Hecate's desk, the polished gold gleaming even in the darkened room.  Her fingers fell upon the folded scrap of paper Hecate had pressed into her palm earlier that evening.  Perching on the edge of the desk, she began to unfold the worn parchment, summoning a small ball of light and smiling at the sight of the ornate looping script she knew so well. 

As she began to read, she felt tears spring up in her eyes.  Happy tears.  Clearly, the words were meant as a prompt, most of what was written unfinished sentences, almost a list.  A list of the reasons and ways Hecate loved her, starting from their school days.

Just as she had always loved Hecate, it appeared that the darker haired witch had always loved her, though she'd been terrified to admit it.  She loved her for never judging her for being different, for accepting her as she was, for never having been afraid of her even when she had sent others running. 

Her words went on to admit how she would struggle to concentrate at their shared potions bench, the scent of honey and fresh cut grass, the scent of Pippa's magic, of her perfume driving her to distraction even when she closed her eyes to give her a moments rest from gazing at her beauty.

Of how she had struggled in realising what her feelings meant.  In realising the way she loved Pippa was so much more than friendship, and of being terrified that in every revealing that to her, she would scare her away.  Pippa sighed.  If only she knew.

There were a number of crossed out words in the section that followed, apparently trying to describe her laugh, and the effect it had on Hecate before the woman appeared to have given up on that track altogether and moved on to describing the thrill she felt at seeing Pippa arrive by broom, recalling how they would fly together, sometimes even sharing a broom.  How Hecate had been sure that Pippa would feel her heart almost beating out of her chest, that she would know how she felt.

There was another section of heavily scored out words, which Pippa had to squint to realise referred to the years they had spent apart.  Judging from how heavily they had been scored over Pippa could only surmise that this was a period Hecate did not want to dwell on.

The words that came after flowed much more freely.  We far more open in their admission of how Hecate felt that her chest could not contain her heart when they reconciled.  That she had almost said it the day of the Spelling Bee, when they had hugged, the sensation of actually holding Pippa again almost stealing the confession from her lips.

She had admitted on paper that she had wanted to say it almost every day since.  Hadn't even been sure why she was so afraid to say it out loud when she had thought it each and every day. 

There were only a few words after that, scrawled at the bottom of the page.  They read simply; _watch – don't want to count the years we were apart, but every second together_.  Wiping the tears from her eyes, Pippa looked over to where Hecate lay, smiling.  The woman who many had accused of being cold and detached, but who, underneath her stony exterior, felt more than most, and was capable of such passion.  Folding the slip of paper back up, she tucked it into the lid of her gift box before lifting out the watch itself.  It was smaller and more delicate than Hecate's own.  Warm to the touch and humming with Hecate's magic.  As she slipped the thin chain over her head, Pippa knew the watch itself was no doubt hiding further secrets, but she would find them in her own time.  For now, she was simply content to feet Hecate's magic so close to her heart.

Crossing back towards the bed, the slipped beneath the sheets once more, smiling when Hecate automatically shifted closer, curling into her side.  It was a rather wonderful feeling, Pippa decided as she closed her eyes, to drift off, safe and loved in the arms of the woman who held her heart. 


End file.
